Outlet: Letting the Feelings Go
by CaseyAnn'sPrecious
Summary: Follow the members of Crisis Core as they share their methods of grieveing, loving, coping, and relaxing. SxZxAxG.
1. Act I RDS Zack Alcohol

Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII. The universe and characters portrayed in this story belong solely to Square Enix.

Warning: This story contains Suggestive themes, lots of alcohol, drugs, and maybe some dark themes. You have been warned. It shouldn't get too bad, though, so I hope you enjoy.

**Outlet: Letting the Feelings Go.**

_Chapter 1: Zack _

Second Class SOLDIER Zack Fair had found that when life got him down, the best place to mellow and grieve was and always would be the bar.

It wasn't anything special, just a small, shack-like building on the outskirts of Midgar made of rough wood and rotting shingles. The exterior looked nothing like you would expect. Hell, it seemed more like a house from the street view. He'd heard of it from his friend when he went through training and the next day he went. The women in it were sluttish and all of the men were drunks but when one ignored those factors, it was a lovely place. He loved its ruggedness, right down to the harsh, sweet smell of cigarettes and the grunt and grimace of men taking alcohol stronger than they could handle. The spiky-haired man, however, could take it all, though he wished he could feel the burn and sting. Maybe then he wouldn't seem so empty. Mako would always be his mood-killer…

This morning when he had woken up and looked in the mirror, he knew something was going to go wrong. Already, his eyes held the slight dullness known to him as feeling hollow. It only escalated as soon as he stepped in the door to Sephiroth's office, if the book to his face said anything at all. Then again, he didn't actually get out of the tense room until that eight foot sword was pointing at his throat. The general always did have a horrible temper and he didn't really mind it too much. The pain, however, started when he found that Genesis was off on a mission and Angeal was in meetings for the day. Nobody wanted him around, it seemed, for whenever he proposed a trip to some place or a night out, his treat, he only got "Sorry Zack, not right now, I'm kind of busy."

So he said fuck it and left on his own.

The highlight of his day, though, would probably have to be when he caught his girlfriend romping around with his best friend…

…In his bunk…

It was entirely safe to say that he was pissed. The broken nose, scratches, and blood on his work shirt were tribute to that. At least he put the other guy in the hospital for a few days. If Seph was pissed at him before, he would probably be turning red by now. At least he had the security of knowing that Angeal wouldn't let him get kicked out. Well, he didn't think the General would let him leave, either but still; it was nice to know that the two cared. Genesis…well, he talked about that damn play too much!

All of this was beside the point, though, because tonight, well, tonight was all about him and the alcohol. Even when the world got fuzzy and the bubbly feeling in the pit of his stomach came to an all time high, he drank and drank to his heart's content. At some point of time, he remembered talking to some guy who had slumped to the bar for a few minutes. He did look kind of familiar…he just couldn't see whether the hair was black, or brown, or silver, or maybe blonde….Wait, just how many people were there at the front? And why were they talking to him?

Pain lanced through his head and he couldn't help but grip it a little. A headache? Well that was just his fucking luck. Mumbling to himself about how stupid this day was, he looked up again only to meet a black spot in his vision. It was fluxuating, getting smaller then bigger before soon, all he saw was black. His body slumped off the barstool and onto the floor.

Sephiroth, Genesis, and Angeal could only look down in slight annoyance at the snoring puppy before he was slung across a shoulder and taken to one of their apartments.

* * *

CAP: So what did you think? Second chapter should be up soon ^^. It's going to be longer and probably better. Got any ideas for how any members of FFVII: Crisis Core let it all go? Or how they let their feelings out. or how they relax. I'll take any ideas, honestly.

Sephiroth is Next.


	2. Act I RDS Sephiroth Alcohol 2

Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII. The universe and characters portrayed in this story belong solely to Square Enix.

Warning: This story contains Suggestive themes, lots of alcohol, drugs, and maybe some dark themes. You have been warned. It shouldn't get too bad, though, so I hope you enjoy.

**Outlet: Letting the Feelings Go**

_Chapter 2: Sephiroth (Rough Day Solutions – Alcohol, but not a bar in sight)_

When the three of them had picked Zack up from that shady bar on the outskirts of town, they didn't know what to think. The reason they were out there was to yes, find the second class but what they didn't expect was for him to be drunk enough to pass out. Mako usually counteracted things like that, even in large numbers. But then they saw the glasses lined up in front of him and it explained it all. They took care of him for the next day, reprimanded him for just about getting court marshaled, and questioned him as to why he actually did it. Then the fun started and they kicked back. It was a really good laugh, hearing just why, but you better believe it that the guy did get what was coming to him the next day.

Now in Sephiroth's situation, a bar was the last place he'd be.

It was through the methods that made him and Zack so different. Bars were noisy and filled with easily awestruck people. He hated people, especially ones who whispered or stared like idiots. They did that when he had walked in to pick up Angeal's protégée, the dumb puppy as Genesis like to call him. The people, they pointed and gasped as if they were surprised, they turned away as if afraid of him. One had to walk away. Well they all should have been but that was all beside the point. Bars were noisy, smelled bad, had crappy alcohol, and were often where you found victims for drug effects. And it was these reasons that kept him off the streets and away from such infested places (Including clubs).

But still, there were rare moments, points in time where even he, the almost perfect soldier, had to break down. He didn't cry. When did a man of his caliber ever cry? No, like Zack, yet so unlike him, he preferred to drink it all away. But he liked to do it in the solitude of his office or room.

It would be a quiet affair, no candles or relaxing music. Just him, in the dark, with the finest brandy he had ever tasted and the sweet emptiness of silence. Often times, he would sit in his big, plush, leather chair and stare out over the city lights, spacing out. They were a sort of distracting beauty but he liked to think of prettier things, things like…

Well, those were inappropriate.

Never once was he interrupted. The mood and setting of his entire office wing tended to be so omnipresent in these moments that his secretaries usually left. Genesis and Angeal knew to never venture up when there was a black slip of paper on their desks, scrawled with his beautiful handwriting. Short, crisp sentences were all that these notes would ever contain and Zack would be easily preoccupied with the two. He had good friends, ones who listened and loved which was all he would ever need. They would never be considered people by his standards. No, they were as good as gods in his eyes. Idiot Gods, but Gods nonetheless.

Today had just turned out to be one of those days. He was perfectly content in the morning, stuck behind paperwork for the day. Then again, that had only lasted until Hojo paged him to come down to the lab. After being put through painful tests that almost rendered his body useless, he could barely write out a note to his friends to occupy the puppy before napping for a few minutes. Then, damn it all to hell, an irate secretary of Lazard's had come up and jabbed him awake for some important meeting that he already knew everything about. To top the whole pile off, he was due in an hour to help train the new cadets, annoying brats who thought they were all that because their parents said so. Like he wanted to put up with people after all that!

And that was why he said fuck it to his last appointment and pulled up his favorite chair. Why he said oh well to the hundreds of reports he had to read. Why he told his secretaries to go away before locking the door on them. And most definitely why he said fuck off to the world before downing that first, delicious shot.

Hours later, he considered his position and realized that, well, he couldn't exactly get too wasted. Thinking even more, he realized that the mako prevented him from being entirely drunk in the first place but that never really stopped him from trying. Eventually, he said screw the glass and started drinking straight from the bottle. There were no hallucinations that Zack claimed there would be, they just never came to mind.

He could tell, though, when he was "Drunk" and it was something he reveled in. His movements slowed and his eyes drooped, his breathing evened out and his thought processes slowed. Peaceful, wonderful, silent bliss overcame his entire body and soon, he was sleeping with a small, beautiful smile on his face, never to hear the bottle hit the floor.

And minutes later, when Genesis finally gained entrance into the General's office, he found the man exactly the same.

* * *

CAP: And that concludes chapter 2 in the newest addition to my works. I'm so happy that people love it already, considering it was something spontaneous off the top of my head. I want to give thanks to everybody who put it on their favorites list or Alert list. I want to give special thanks to Staci-Diane603 and CrimsonSanctum for actually reviewing! Much love there. Especially since I love Staci-Diane's Remenissions! Till next time, then!

Angeal is next. Hint: Puppy.


	3. Act I RDS Angeal Puppy

Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII. The universe and characters portrayed in this story belong solely to Square Enix.

Warning: This story contains Suggestive themes, lots of alcohol, drugs, and maybe some dark themes. You have been warned. It shouldn't get too bad, though, so I hope you enjoy.

**Outlet: Letting the Feelings Go**

_Chapter 3: Angeal: Rough Day Solutions – Puppy_

They say that Sephiroth's anger the next day was unparallel, even to the gods.

"Somebody," The General had claimed at lunch "Is going to pay for this!"

What they weren't expecting was the picture that the angered being slammed on the table. It was the image from yesterday, the one of the angel sleeping in his office chair. Whoever had crept into his office last night had apparently had the balls to place it on his desk, in plain view. Said person now also had a death wish. Angeal could only get a small peek before the photo was ripped from view and he had to admit, it was an endearing picture, one that would surely pose a threat to the General's image if it was ever sent out. So, was it blackmail or just fun?

The First Class SOLDIER couldn't help but chuckle when his puppy, Zack, raised his hands in a surrender position.

"Hey, it wasn't me this time. I would have done something if I knew you were passed out drunk." A smug smile came across his face before Angeal smack him on the back of the head. Moments later, Geneses pulled his nose out of his book and glanced at the silver-haired man.

"I did it." Everybody looked at him oddly.

"What? I thought everybody would have like to see our superior in such a state. I haven't exactly spread them across the building if that's what you're thinking but I do have a few extra if you want some."

"No!" "Hell yeah!" Sephiroth and Zack both burst out at the same time. Then the former proceeded to glare at the latter until he sat down, a pout on his face.

"I was going to put it in my safekeeping box." Angeal raised an eye at him. "It's where I keep things most precious to me. I have pictures of you all in it, even ones of the new cadet I made friends with. There's also a few trinkets from home in there, though you'll never find it because I keep it in a place you would never think to look."

"You mean under your bed?" Sephiroth chimed in bitingly. He was apparently still angry.

"No! I'll have you know I can be more creative than that." The second class stuck his nose in the air slightly. The other three knew that this comment was true, remembering the few times Zack got "creative" with his pranks. "Besides, what were you even doing, drinking alone in your office like that?"

"I don't think a nosy brat like you needs to know such information." The general's eye twitched lightly but it seems like everyone wanted to know.

"I would like to know that myself, Seph." Genesis put his book down on the table, showing that he was interested and Angeal leaned in to show his intrigue at the turn of the conversation.

A sigh came from the silver-haired man. "Fine." He paused for a moment and spaced out, staring at the wall a little. When Zack went to poke him into a response, Angeal tugged his hand down and whispered 'he's thinking' to the younger second. The soft lips formed into an 'oh' look and the First looked back at the man under question to wait.

"I was, shall we say, relaxing. Either that or you could phrase it as relieving the day's stresses. Yesterday was hard on me and after days like that, I usually can't sleep so I put myself to sleep. That's all I'm saying about the situation."

The other three nodded and when the bell rang to signify that it was noon, Angeal stood up and stretched. "Well, it's back to work for me. Enjoy the rest of your lunch."

"Hey! Let me come with you this time?" he had to laugh at Zack's persistence. He did this every day.

"Sorry kid," he paused to ruffle the spiky hair. "I have an important meeting in a few minutes."

"Awwww." Sephiroth snorted at the obvious whine in the teen's voice. Before he could hear the rest of it, he walked away, dumping the rest of his lunch in the trash by the door.

* * *

If there was anything he hated more than having to leave Zack behind, it was the meetings he had with the president and that creepy ass scientist, Hojo, every few weeks. The start of them had never failed to make him feel exposed and oh so vulnerable to the bespectacled eyes that looked him over ever minute until he got up and left. They were horrible meetings, ones he wished to avoid at all times but he couldn't, lest he want to loose his job. All of them seemed like important ones to both higher figures yet totally pointless to him but that was because they were almost always about Sephiroth.

From the start of when the First had met and become friends with his superior, the General Sephiroth, he had been told to come to such meetings and report on anything abnormal the silver-haired man did. It was insane, the inquisitions he had to go through whenever he set foot in the door. They wanted standards that only robots could perform out of the powerful man, ones that on a battlefield he could produce but not sitting in an office chair. Never once did they ask about anything relatively human from one of his greatest friends and that bothered him immensely.

So each and every time, he lied.

It wasn't hard to examine and figure out just what kinds of answers they wanted from him. All he had to do was tell them that Sephiroth was doing what he should and staying away from his varying range of emotions. It wasn't like the scientist came out of his lab daily to spy on his creation and the president was always busy with other matters entirely which pleased just about everybody. so why should they even realize he was lying? He was perfect at it, completely flawless when he told them exactly what he knew they wanted and when they finally smiled grimy, ugly smiles, he got up and left.

Today was the same exact thing though the vulnerable and exposed feeling became more intense when it drew on for longer than usual. By the end of their talk, he was feeling horrible and utterly indecent. He had to lie more than usual this time, telling them that the reason nobody could contact the General last night had been because of his pile of reports that were probably still sitting on his desk. The First didn't utter a word about the alcohol Sephiroth had consumed or the reasons the man had given him and the others an hour prior. If he were to mention that, it would surely cause more tests and hassle for his superior, something he had noticed around the third or fourth meeting he had been required to attend. It was ever since then that he had started faking his way through them, too. You'd never notice it, but Sephiroth had become a lot more human-like than before Everybody except Hojo and the president, of course.

Another thing you probably would never have noticed was that when Angeal left these meetings, he wasn't the same as when he walked in.

It seemed that in moments after he walked out, the First could only stare at the wall in hopes that the horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach would go away. When it didn't, a nauseous feeling tended to add to that and he usually had to go back to his room and lie down. Often times, if he tried to lie in a ball it would help but there was nothing that helped best than the unexpected.

Ever so slowly, he trudged back to his room and slumped onto his bed. He flicked the television on but if was only for noise purposes before he curled up into a ball to help ease the clamor in his stomach for a while. This time, however, it didn't seem to go away. A sigh escaped his lips.

It was time to test his last resort.

The First Class flipped open his cell phone and scrolled down the contact list. When the person titled 'puppy' hit the cursor, he stopped and hit the dial button. Zack's cheery voice popped up on the line after a ring or two.

"Angeal! Are you done with your meeting?"

"Yeah. You should come up to my room; I have something to talk to you about." He knew he sounded weary to the other but maybe that would help get him up here faster.

"Can do! I'll be there in a second." And the phone clicked shut.

For a while, he stood there and stared at the television boredly. Some soap opera was running on, a marathon he presumed, and right now, two girls were fighting over some trinket. Honestly, what was the fascination with it? It was only a ring, small and plastic-looking.

A thump outside his door made him alert and he turned toward it. A fraction of a second later and he had an armful of his puppy. The First hugged him tightly, sighing in relief. Zack looked at Angeal oddly.

"Have a rough day again?" the cute teen asked, pouting his lips in just the right way. "Yes, a very rough day. I would love it if you talked to me like last time." He tugged him up to sit beside him, ruffling a hand through his hair, happy when the feeling started fading. It was a major relief when Zack spent time with him just to make the vulnerable feeling go away. The Second never tried to pry into his life, never scrutinized him like Hojo, and never expected anything of him. It was a good feeling.

The good thing was that Zack could talk for hours on end about anything in the world. More often than not, he prompted him, giving proper mhmm's and Okays but just until the feeling wore off and he felt right again. Afterwards, a kiss to the forehead and a shoo had the Second scrambling off to bed, just as he was going to do tonight.

But this time, he wouldn't let the puppy leave and even when he fell asleep, he stroked the kid's hair until he too went into slumber beside him.

* * *

CAP: So what did you think? Drop me a review! It seemed a little short to me at the end but I figured it fit. This is the longest chapter yet! Though nobody reviewed the last chapter which made me sad...

Genesis is next. hint: Book


	4. Act I RDS Genesis Ranting

Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII. The universe and characters portrayed in this story belong solely to Square Enix.

Warning: This story contains Suggestive themes, lots of alcohol, drugs, and maybe some dark themes. You have been warned. It shouldn't get too bad, though, so I hope you enjoy.

**Please read the last part of my Authors Note at the end of the chapter for an important message.**

**Outlet: Letting the Feelings Go**

_Chapter 4: Rough Day Solutions: Genesis – Ranting Vents the Soul_

Genesis knew that, in the end, he, too, would have one of these so called bad days.

Throughout the building, it seemed that every person in SOLDIER and even some of the Turks were having patches of rough times here and there. His conductive reasoning told him that he was due soon, considering the closeness of his three friends' slips, but it wasn't something he wanted to think about. Especially when he had heard that Angeal had convinced Zack to sleep in his bed which should have very well been him! They had been friends since they were children, hadn't they? How come he couldn't get to sleep with the other First?

But then he forgot about the entire subject for a week, a good thing, in his mind.

Everything was going smoothly afterwards, too. He was content with life as it came at him, breezing through missions like they were nothing and getting out of his paperwork by glaring at the little annoying secretary stationed down the hallway. The group of four had recently gone out around town for a little while and that had been incredible fun. He didn't even have to vent his anger on the training simulators during his 'perfect' week.

Oddly enough, it was after he started calling the past week perfect that everything started crumbling down around him.

It started off slowly, the first time being in the training room. Zack had wanted somebody to challenge and it seemed he was the only one available at the time so he said yes. They went at it a few times, Genesis always winning and having the upper hand. The spiky-haired Second was frustrated, making his actions careless and choppy but he ignored that in favor of bringing the dog to his knees. It was payback, completely and utterly, and he didn't care one bit. Well, he didn't care until a white, hot, searing pain shot down his back. Nanoseconds later he realized that his lips were bleeding with the exertion of trying to keep the scream from bubbling up. His knees toppled and crumpled under him like a falling building and his sword clattered to the floor beside him. The only question that came to his mind being 'What the hell…'

Apparently, Zack was wondering the same thing but he shrugged him off and stood up. He didn't want pity or remorse. If he was in pain, he would deal with it and walk it off. He was a man, after all, and that's what men did. Besides, the pain wasn't so bad anymore, the mako in his bloodstream taking over and dulling his nerves so that it was only a dull ache. Some tea would be nice to soothe his anger at not being able to finish his sparring session with the puppy, though that was easily attainable.

His mind set, they parted for the day, surprised when Zack admitted to being tired for once. These kinds of things just worked to his advantage anyway and with his mind set, he headed off for his office. He took his merry little time getting there, taking small detours just to see who noticed him.

The hallways seemed empty for some reason. Where was everybody? In a questioning motion, he peeked out a window from one of the secretary's offices and smirked. Mandatory calisthenics, one of the many things Seconds and Thirds were forced to attend. It looked like Angeal and some other Firsts were leading this one, pacing back and forth while counting like metronomic tics. Even from here he could see the spiky haired body of Zack, pumping his legs to keep himself going. Running beside him was another spiky haired kid, Cloud, the third that the teen seemed so fond of. Maybe it was the hair or something.

After a few more moments of watching, his curiosity was satisfied and he continued down the hallway. The silenced echoed the tapping of his boots in some meticulate way and it made him sigh. This was what being alone felt like, he knew it. It was horrible, the clenching of his chest and that feeling his stomach. Just what did one gather from being alone like this?

The door in front of him hissed open and Genesis entered his office.

It was a spacious room, long and elegant with a wide window that he could pull curtains over. Lined across a smaller wall were bookshelves, no taller than his waist that held all of his favorite books. Reading was a grand pastime of his, one he had picked up as soon as he had read the play loveless. It was a beautiful book, one about the world and many different concepts that he loved to toil around in his head time after time. He had even managed to get Angeal to read it once, though the First never really understood the beauty of it. He passed around his books with another sigh and dropped himself into his office chair, tugging open one of the drawers in his desk.

His eye twitched when he found that somebody had stolen the last of his tea. A small sticky note was left on the box, bearing an I.O.U. lettering that made him growl. The signature read a name he didn't get the chance to look at before he threw the offending paper across the room. Now he was angry. Not only was he in a bad mood from the pain and the short cut off of the sparring session, but now he was ticked off because somebody had swiped the last of his tea. How was he supposed to calm down now?!

The First slammed his fist down on the desk angrily. This was fucking perfect! Now he had to drink the shitty stuff from the cafeteria that everybody hated with a passion. Well, he wasn't going to stand for it. Why drink crappy tea anyway when he could just figure something else out. He was going to let out some anger. Maybe the general would spar with him or at least let him rant.

With fiercer steps that stomped more than clicked like before, he cut a path to Sephiroth's office, not even bothering to knock on the door. He didn't care if he got reprimanded for invasion of privacy or scolded for calling first, this was horrible and he wanted to vent. He needed to less this anger and tension out of his system so he could go home and let his muscles relax. With whirling actions he sped up to the silver-haired man's desk and before he knew what was going on, his fist was flying at the man's face.

Sephiroth didn't even bat an eyelash as he brought his hand up to block.

"Genesis, what gives you right to not only barge into my office, but attempt to punch me?" There was scorn in the man's voice, something that made his flames of anger flare higher. His words spat out a little more angrily than he would have liked them to, especially since Seph was his friend.

"Well your tea didn't go missing, did it! And you're not in horrible pain either, are you? Excuse me because I am and the world is ticking me off right now!"

A silver eyebrow slowly raised as green, mako-enhanced eyes lifted up to look at him questioningly. A small tick at the side of Sephiroth's lips signaled that he was trying to contain a smirk yet all Genesis wanted to do was wipe it off his face. The First lunged, growling out about how today was not his day while tumbling around on the floor of the office like an idiot. Sephiroth was going with it, giving smart ass remarks to keep the brunette going while fending off the angry kicks and punches that were thrown at him nonstop. Eventually, things slowed down and the steam that was fueling Genesis started to wane. The strong yet soft voice was getting lower in volume and he stopped throwing wild hits that stung a little in favor of just using the General's shoulder as a sort of brick wall. In the end, they ended up in a heap by the darker corner of the room, limbs slightly tangled and hair all askew as the First panted out the final steam of his argument.

When all was silent and still again, Sephiroth looked down into his subordinate's eyes and laughed a little.

"Are you done now?"

A few more silent moments passed as Genesis caught his breath completely.

"Yeah, I think. I feel a lot better now. My back seems to have gotten worse. Get off of me, you're heavy."

It took a little bit, but they slowly untangled themselves. The General sat back down in his chair and started ruffling through some desk drawers while Genesis straightened down the front of his jacket. Truly, he did feel a ton better. Even his lonely feeling seemed to have been squashed in the small fight which made his mood lift lighter. A small packet was flung at him and he caught it, twirling it in his hand a little before reading the label. A smile curved his lips slightly when he realized that Seph had thrown him a packet of tea before getting back to work as if nothing had happened.

"Hey, General."

"Hm?" The man didn't even look up from his work.

"Thank you." Striking emerald green eyes glanced up at him and the smile took his breath away for a second. When he finally walked out of the room, the one word that served as his reply stuck with him for hours later.

"Anytime."

* * *

CAP: So that's the next chapter in Outlet. I hope you all liked it. I'm really sorry about the long gap in between this chapter and the last. Schoolwork kind of got the best of me and I was majorly procrastinating on updating. I still have to update my other stories and such which means tonight I'm cracking down on writing. My hand hurts from typing so much!

Big thanks to Red-Planet31, TooPrettyBoy, Vega Sailor, and Alexis4 for reviewing. I love reviewers. Sighs happily.

The next chapter starts the next part of the arc. It's entitled Best Days Ever and will start all over again with Zack unless anybody wants me to write a bonus chapter with one of their favorite characters in a Rough Day Solution. Until then!


	5. Act II BDE Zack Friends

Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII. The universe and characters portrayed in this story belong solely to Square Enix.

Warning: This story contains Suggestive themes, lots of alcohol, and maybe some dark themes. You have been warned. It shouldn't get too bad, though, so I hope you enjoy.

**Outlet: Letting the Feelings Go**

_Act II - Best Days Ever: Zack – In the Company of Friends_

Zack loves to tag along with Angeal, Genesis, and Sephiroth. Throughout this chapter he does so and explains why with the fact that there's a leaky faucet in his room and it annoys him. This is the reason he spends the night in other people's rooms and such. His best days are spent in the company of others. That is what is portrayed here and remember, sleep is for losers!

_Drip, Drip, Drip._

There was a watery plopping from somewhere off in the bathroom. His keen hearing picked up the sound of the droplets hitting the cheap tile within seconds of each other. There was no reprieve, only the constant battering of sound against his mako-enhanced senses as he tried to sleep. After an hour of tossing and turning around against the mattress, he sighed. It was as if he could imagine the motions, as if he could physically see the water as it descended through the air even though there was a wall at least two cinder blocks thick blocking him from the source of the noise. The offender was obviously the sink, probably a leaky pipe or a bad connection. With a groan he tugged the pillow against both of his ears in hopes of deafening the sound.

It dulled, but the dripping still grated at his nerves for another hour.

The muscled shoulders of the teen in the bed drooped in defeat as he sat up, covers falling to pool around his waist. He couldn't sleep like this. There was just no way in hell he could even nap with something as annoying as that bothering him. He grabbed the soft covers on him and the pillow before standing and slinging both items over his shoulder, covering his naked upper back and shielding it from the cold. The door hissed as it opened, mechanical as always but that didn't hide the small pattering sound of his bare feet on the metal of the floor. Angeal wasn't home yet; he was still on that mission in Wutai. Maybe he could stay in his room until he got back.

The teen punched the memorized numbers into the keypad with ease, sliding into the familiar apartment as if he had done this a dozen of times. He wouldn't dare sleep in the First's bed, no, but he could at least use the just as comfortable couch. With a sigh, he settled on the plush furniture and stretched, happy to be in silence as he curled up into a comfortable position and closed his eyes. The last thought that crossed his mind was that the couch smelled enticingly like Angeal.

That strong smell and the beautiful, drip-free silence was what finally lulled Zack Fair to sleep.

* * *

"Angeal! You're back!" Zack smiled and trotted up to his superior and friend, reaching out to clap a hand on the wearied shoulder. It was good to see the other man back from the dangerous mission he had been on in one relative piece. A glance over his body showed that there were a few minor scrapes and bruises but nothing major had been done to him, something that came as a relief to the teen. He had to look every time one of his friends came back for fear that something had happened and they needed him for personal mood uplifting. What was better to cheer anyone up but the master of smiles?

'And right now,' his thoughts started 'Angeal looks like he needs it.'

With a smile, he walked beside the other, happily contributing to a conversation that turned out to be totally one-sided. It seemed that the First was mostly concerned with making it to his room more than he was concerned with talking to Zack. An annoyed sigh escaped his lips as he reached the door. The second was cute, really, but right now he was tired and in need of a shower. A sickly smell of blood, machinery, and sweat rolled off of him, permeating through the hallway, though if the teen noticed it, he didn't say anything. There was some credit due there, at least. Hell, even the secretary at the front desk had wrinkled her nose at him and she wasn't even infused with mako! His stern, worn eyes turned to glance down into the blue ones staring up at him in concern. He made sure to make the message clear.

"Zack." The second nodded, letting a smile brighten his features in hopes of making at least a small difference.

Angeal turned back to the door, determined to walk right in and take a shower. He didn't need this sort of constant talking, especially after coming home from one of the most difficult missions he had ever encountered, but he endured it so that no feelings would be hurt. After his shower he was going to sleep for a week to recover from what had occurred. Some simple decoy mission that was. A snort escaped his lips.

"Why don't you go find somebody else to talk to for now. I need some down time. While you're at it, tell everybody else to leave me the hell alone for a few days. I don't want to see people for another week. After that I want you to find me some alcohol. Bring two glasses, we're drinking. Don't come back until tomorrow when I've had some rest. You're dismissed."

The First then proceeded to punch in the code to his room and stalk inside, stopping to glance at the offending sleeping items folded up on his couch as if they belonged. He didn't ask questions when Zack rushed in beside him to collect them and he sure as hell didn't want to know what it was that had the teen silent as he left, the door shutting behind him. The bed was visible from the corner of his eye and he dropped onto it, not even bothering to kick off his shoes. A sigh escaped his lips and he smiled. Oh yeah, this felt like heaven. He was definitely home. And you know what? Fuck the Shower. He was going to get some damn sleep.

* * *

Their glasses clinked together with a mock toast, bitter smiles gracing their faces before the single—and in Angeal's case, double—shots were downed. Zack slammed his glass back on the table for effect, letting out a long-drawn 'Ahhh' to show that he was content. Angeal had just told them (them being him, Angeal, Sephiroth, and Genesis) the details that he was permitted to disclose about his most recent mission. From the way the subjects danced around, it was probably pretty confidential and it sounded really rough. However, the explanation had explained why the First had been in such a horrible mood when he returned and also why they were now sitting around the coffee table in Sephiroth's apartment taking shots like they were water.

Genesis' glove hand reached for one of the many bottles strewn about their little circle and he poured himself another drink, the tense air in the room lightening up slightly now that the seriousness was gone. The four of them, in his eyes, were free to have fun now, to make jokes and chat as if there wasn't a war crashing down on their heads. Zack agreed with this immensely, starting off a tale about the screw up in the thirds' training sessions today that lead to an amazingly funny end. Even Sephiroth had to quirk smiles and chuckle at the antics of his SOLDIERs. Only a mere hour later they had successfully torn through five bottles of hard liquor, the mako in their veins cutting out at least half of the impact that it would have made. As it stood, none of them lost their judgment completely, the most drunk, Zack, merely thinking at a slower pace than usual.

When Genesis pointed this out, Sephiroth really did have to laugh.

"When has Zack ever thought at a fast pace in the first place?"

The three superiors indulged in a long, drawn out moment of snickering. The man being insulted huffed and crossed his arms but the lazy smile plastered on his face took away from the effect. He was happy, really happy, and that definitely wasn't the alcohol taking hold of his senses. Seeing all of them, sitting around in a circle and enjoying each others' company made him giddy. When had they ever had the time to put aside for something as ridiculous and against the rules as this? At what point could they just drop everything and spend time together as friends, not coworkers or officers? The answer would always be that they couldn't. Sometimes, it came out like they wouldn't. That just made this moment so much more special.

To commemorate the memory and keep it in his mind, he reached to snatch up one of the near empty vodka bottles, not even bothering to pour a shot before he raised it in the air. "To the best days of our lives as friends and to keeping moments like this in our memory! Face it, you tight-assed SOLDIERs know you're having some good fun." He teased lightly before smiling wider as the other three raised their shot glasses. The glass clinked against the bottom of the bottle. To them, there really was no point in just recklessly downing the fiery liquids. Angeal had the sense to swipe the bottle from the teen just as he was about to take a second swig, reprimanding him with a smile on his face.

"You, puppy, are barred. Any more and I would think that you may just stand up on the table and strip for us." A cute pout formed on those lips but it turned back into a playful smirk.

"You know you'd all enjoy it. My assh is shexy!" The three of them started to pick up when the buzz the spiky-haired teen had going started turning to a drunken stupor. His speech was now starting to slur together, eyes drooping in an induced tiredness that Genesis, for some unknown reason, had to laugh at. Maybe the alcohol was getting to him, too. With a frown he set the bottle that was poised to pour another drink on the table, shoving it to the center and away from him. He was done.

A comfortable, peaceful moment descended on the room and Sephiroth stretched, leather making a soft noise as it slid along his skin. His ankles settled across Genesis' thighs, the First not even bothering to look so much as annoyed at them. He didn't move them because they seemed awkwardly comfortable there. After a thought like that, he was definitely convinced that the alcohol had gotten to him much more than he preferred. His eyes darted to each occupant on the two sofas, blinking slowly as he watched Zack stretch out similarly to Sephiroth, his spiky head coming to rest on Angeal's lap as the bigger man's head tilted back to lay comfortably against the couch's top cushioning. His friend's booted feet were now firmly planted on the coffee table, the silver haired man who looked like he was falling asleep not giving a care in the world to them. Zack's eyes were firmly closed now, his breathing starting to even out as sleep descended. Before he could loose consciousness, though, he mumbled out a small sentence.

"This has to be one of the best days of my life."

And the teen promptly passed out.

The three of them cracked agreeing smiles, letting their eyes close before they, too, succumbed to one of the best sleeps they had ever had, Gaia be damned if anyone tried to blame it on the alcohol.

* * *

CAP: Whew! I finally got that one out. This took ages for some reason but now I know where the story is going because I, now realizing how much easier it makes the writing process, have made a story chapter outline! This should make my updates a little faster, depending on if I actually get time and motivation to write. My winter vacation is coming to a close so I don't know how long it'll be before the next one is out. My apologies. Thanks to: Alexis4 and Red-Planet31 for reviewing!

Oh, and this is much longer than previous chapters with nearly 2,250 words! That's almost double the amount of last chapter!


	6. Act II BDE Sephiroth Training Time

Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII. The universe and characters portrayed in this story belong solely to Square Enix.

Warning: This story contains Suggestive themes, lots of alcohol, and maybe some dark themes. You have been warned. It shouldn't get too bad, though, so I hope you enjoy.

**Outlet: Letting the Feelings Go**

_Act II - Best Days Ever: Sephiroth – Training Times_

The glint of steel flashed around the room as the last robot fell, slashed to bits by the indestructible force that was Masamune. His silver hair shimmied down his back as he flung it over his shoulder, reaching a hand out for the water bottle set on the floor. Sephiroth was training in his private training room, a routine that never faltered daily. His strong build needed to stay strong and merciless, his cold mind needing jogging every once in a while so that he could calculate five steps ahead of the enemy before the victim even realized that the General was making his first. The dial for the settings went up a couple notches, setting to a level he was more familiar with. The sparking bot on the floor was forgotten as another one came out, faster and even more deadly than before. He was in the middle of battle with when the door opened and two people stepped in. He ignored them easily and disposed of the robot before acknowledging their presence.

Clapping hands pulled him to look at Genesis who was standing a little ways from the door. Angeal was leaning against the wall behind him, a smile in his eyes. The clapping stopped

"Amazing as always. I guess it never fails, does it, or should I say that you never fail? You haven't even broken a sweat, have you?" The brown-haired man inquired, looking over his superior's form quickly. The man in question smirked.

"That's why they're called warm-up levels, Genesis. They're meant for the sole purpose of stretching the muscles before completing a strenuous exercise." The spark that came to life in Angeal's eyes made a fire blaze in his own. When the strong man pushed off the wall and placed a hand over the hilt of his weapon, he readied himself by tensing his muscles and smirking even wider. These types of training days never ceased to amuse him.

"Strenuous? Do you hear that, Genesis? He thinks we're a handful."

The brown haired man laughed, the deep sound resounding through the room. A red gloved hand reached to grasp at the hilt of the blade resting in his hand lightly. "Shall we step it up a notch today and prove a challenge for the 'Almighty'?" He snickered at his own term. Two sets of mako enhanced eyes turned to look into the emerald ones of their superior. They readied their battle stances.

Sephiroth decided in those few seconds that maybe he would tick them off today and look casual. The two fists knew much better, though, seeing the deadly calculating way he regarded their weapons and stances. With approving eyes, he smiled.

And that was their cue to begin.

* * *

After an hour, Zack joined them and they traded off partners, doing one on one matches and occasionally an every man for themselves round. As time passed by, they found that the wearier they got, the more fun they had. Zack's cocky attitude became borderline smartass as his muscles started to strain; sweat making some of the spikes stick to his head. It seemed like everybody but Sephiroth was getting tired. Angeal knew the contradictory to that, though, the evidence being the perspiration dotting the General's brow. And as quick as they had started, they stopped. It was a very well known fact that if Sephiroth was getting tired then they damn well knew that they had pushed themselves way to far.

A smile quirked the silver-haired man's mouth as he lightly hit Zack over the head. "You're improving." He noted and Zack smiled sheepishly. As he replied, he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. It wasn't every day that he got a compliment from Sephiroth.

All four of them ended up propped against the wall, passing around water canteens in an effort to rehydrate themselves. Their panting breaths and sweaty faces eventually started to smooth out into looks of people who were having fun. A few comfortable moments of silence passed before a deep chuckle resounded about the room. Three pairs of questioning eyes turned to look at Sephiroth who was trying, in vain, to wipe the smile off of his face. Genesis cocked an eyebrow questioningly.

"I just remembered the other night and how it seems to be similar to today."

Zack looked entirely lost as he scratched at his head. "What?"

Angeal let out a small amused sound similar tot eh one his superior had let escape earlier. The clueless look on the second's face was priceless. He watched as the connections were slowly being made behind the cobalt blue eyes but somehow it wasn't clicking. With a sigh of defeat, he threw his hands in the air. "I don't get it! The other night we were drinking. Today we were fighting. What is there that the two have in common?"

Genesis had to laugh outright at the puppy's stupidity levels. Angeal, ever the saving grace, decided to enlighten the spiky-haired teen.

"I think what he means, Zack, are the feelings. Don't you see how today because of how content we seem is like then?"

Realization dawned and suddenly, it all made sense to the second. The teen's mouth formed an 'oh' as he finally got the dry humor. "Yeah, now that I think about it, I do see it."

"You actually think?" Genesis couldn't help himself. The smirk on Sephiroth's face turned into a bigger smile.

A small, breathless fight ensued between the two before Angeal tugged Zack away from the brawl. Sephiroth pulled Genesis to come sit back down, the smile still on his face. Another few quiet, peaceful minutes passed before the silver-haired man stood to go back to his office.

"Thank you, all three of you. You have brightened my day considerably."

And with a swish of his jacket, the General was gone.

* * *

CAP: Wow that was short. I thought it was pretty okay. I haven't typed up the next chapter yet but it should be out soon. I hope you all enjoyed this installment of Outlet. Thanks to Vega Sailor and ahou incarnate for reviewing!


	7. Act II BDE Angeal Picnics

Disclaimer: I do not own FFVII. The universe and characters portrayed in this story belong solely to Square Enix.

Warning: This story contains Suggestive themes, lots of alcohol, and maybe some dark themes. You have been warned. It shouldn't get too bad, though, so I hope you enjoy.

**Outlet: Letting the Feelings Go**

_Act II - Best Days Ever: Angeal – Picnic_

"Zack! Catch!"

The second turned sharply as a white disk flew right towards his head. It was easy enough to catch when the speed was slow and his thinking was fast. As the plastic touched his hand, he spun and flung it back towards another random person. The wind ruffled his hair lightly and he smiled.

Today was the most wonderful day for a picnic, one that was currently taking place in the grasslands outside of midgar. A few of the Seconds and Firsts had decided that some recreation time was due and with Sephiroth's approval, they lugged out a few blankets and baskets, filled to the brim with picnic food. The location had been unanimous among them, in their minds had sprung up an image of the beautiful, grassy hill with a lake in the valley and mountains in the distance. It was perfect, considering the sky was blue and there wasn't a trace of clouds anywhere. Even the lake sparkled a brilliant blue, the SOLDIERs being able to look--even at its deepest point--to the sandy bottom beneath. Some had even taken the initiative to strip down and jump in, an event that sparked more and more interest as the sun became high in the sky. Water fights ensued.

Slowly, the spiky-haired Second turned to look over at the area his friends were currently occupying, a small smile quirking his lips. Genesis, as always, had his nose stuck in a book, lounging back and lying on a blanket. Beside him was Sephiroth, alert and watching around even though he didn't have to. Angeal was….nowhere to be found?

The frown that marred his features was short-lived as strong arms wrapped around his waist. The teen only had seconds to think before he was hoisted up on a strong, broad shoulder he only identified as Angeal's when his body was soaring for the refreshing body of water. A shocked look of betrayal, mocking and playful overtook his face as his back splashed into the cold lake, soaking his clothing through and flattening his hair. For a few seconds, he sank, frustrated at not having the upper hand until a devious smile was shown to those who were swimming beneath the liquid glass. As if he were an Olympic athlete, Zack approached the edge of the water towards the laughing man he knew as his mentor; taking swift advantage of the opening by wrapping his small hand around the strong ankle he knew had to be Angeal's. With one swift, powerful jerk of his arm, he brought the well-built body crashing down into the water beside him, the final reserves of air in his lungs escaping as bubbles when he laughed. The laughing ceased, however, when he finally realized that it was Genesis, not Angeal, who had come down beside him.

In an instant, he was out of the water and running, dashing around people and picnics alike to escape the furious brunette behind him. The First's sword was brandished over the air, a snarl marring his features. Back at the lake, Angeal laughed even harder and Sephiroth couldn't help but snicker at the antics of his SOLDIERs. When he had dragged Genesis over to see whether Angeal was alright, they never expected Zack to retaliate in the way that he had. The black-haired First had immediately lost his calm exterior and busted into laughter, grasping at his stomach when he could no longer stop. Some of the other men paused to see what the commotion was about, giving odd looks to the normally composed man before realizing that the General was there with them. After sweeping the area in search of enemies, he sighed and resigned to the small laughter bubbling in his chest and up his throat.

Eventually, the sounds died down, and the two caught their breath. Zack and Genesis had a brief, slightly dangerous sparring fight before they were broken up. Genesis went back to his tree to fume for a while. Zack trotted back over towards the lake, still dripping slightly. A sheepish grin was on his face.

"Heh, guess I got the wrong person." The second stated, scratching the back of his head and causing Angeal to burst into snickers. The spiky-haired teen punched him in the arm. "Well I wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't of thrown me into the water in the first place!"

Sephiroth snorted. "You should have looked before you grabbed the wrong person."

Zack didn't really have a reply. However, his stomach spoke for him by growling loudly. "I'm going to go get something to eat!" He then bounded over to the picnic basket situated beside the leather-clad time bomb who still happened to be angry.

Let's just say that Zack ended up wearing his food instead of eating it.

A few more similar incidents occurred. Angeal finally got what he deserved and was shoved into the lake. Sephiroth stayed relatively dry. Zack avidly avoided Genesis, much to his agreement. Genesis proceeded to read more of his interesting book. A few of them participated in some of the horribly planned out picnic games, winning a few and failing at others. One in particular (The three-legged race) gave Sephiroth and Zack the most trouble. The assumption was that the two couldn't properly work together but then they proved that wrong in the relay race. For a few hours they sat and talked about nothing in particular, staring at the sky above. By the close of the day, they were all well-relaxed and exhausted, wanting to be back in their apartments so that they could actually have some peace and quiet.

Though as they walked through the door, Angeal pulled them all up to his apartment again. He used the "I thought we could all use a shot" excuse, though it worked well enough. Like a few days previous, they found themselves strewn out on the small circle of couches with some alcohol in the middle, on the coffee table. Genesis lightened up a little on Zack as he downed his first three shots consecutively. Zack, in turn, downed three shots and challenged him to a drinking contest. Competitive by nature, the brunette had no choice to accept and soon, they were making fools out of themselves. Angeal looked at Sephiroth and engaged him in light conversation for a while. Another hour passed. After his tenth shot of hard Vodka, the Second slumped against his mentor's side and snored loud and obnoxiously. Genesis snorted and slurred out a 'I knew he couldn't hold his liquor' before promptly doing the same, though it was on Sephiroth's shoulder and he didn't snore outright.

Angeal, who had taken it easy, looked over at his superior. "Did you like the picnic? I found it to be quite an enjoyable experience."

The silver-haired man nodded. "I didn't think it was too horrendous. Funny, if anything and we didn't get attacked. Definitely one of our better days."

Angeal toasted him to that. It was absolutely one of their _best_ days.


End file.
